Families

Their website says that “Jim Sandoro and his wife, Mary Ann, have spent more than 45 years collecting memorabilia, antique vehicles and historic artifacts to visually display the rich transportation history of Western New York.” That statement says a lot, yet somehow, it doesn’t come close to capturing the enormity of that collection, a portion of which is on display at the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in downtown Buffalo.

The Buffalo tour season is far from over! Explore Buffalo will take you inside downtown buildings, Blessed Trinity Church, Goldome Bank, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf and even the subway. Three City of Light Bus tours are also offered in December along with the December Spotlight Tour of the new Curtiss Hotel.

Advance reservations are encouraged but not required for all tours. Reservations are required for City of Light bus tour and the Curtiss Hotel Spotlight tour. All credit card payments must be made in advance. Advance reservations with a credit card can be made online until the tour starting time; cash or checks are accepted at the start of the tour. If you make an advance reservation, please print your confirmation email or be prepared to show it on your phone. Most tours are between 90 minutes and two hours in length. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather!

The Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association (BSRA) is inviting high school age boys to join the newly established Team BSRA Boys. Rowing experience is not required and there are no cuts — everyone practices and everyone competes!

Rowing is a four-season sport and BSRA teams compete locally, nationally and in Canada. Rowing is also a non-contact sport that provides a full-body exercise. There are opportunities for athletes of all sizes.

Team BSRA Boys is open to any high school boy who wants to be part of a competitive rowing team and is currently attending a school that does not have a rowing program.

Western New Yorkers can grow their holiday spirit while buying local on Dec. 2 and 3 as the 23rd annual Yuletide in the Country Holiday Artisan Market returns to the Event Center at the Hamburg Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This year’s event will feature more than 150 predominately local artists!

Nearly three dozen juried artisans from near and far will come together from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 for the 41st annual Roycroft Winter Festival! This highly anticipated Western New York holiday tradition will take place in East Aurora Middle School, located at 430 Main St. in the village.

The juried artisans, including several Roycroft Artisans and Master Artisans, will offer a wide variety of beautifully handcrafted items. Artisans taking part in the event offer everything from jewelry, wood, clay and books to metal, tile, glass, leather, pottery, sculpture and more.

St. Martin of Tours Church in South Buffalo will host a free “Praise-A-Peel” music event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22. The event will feature the music of Father Bill Quinlivan accompanied by a few other musicians and vocalists.

“The goal of the ‘Praise-A-Peel’ musical event is to prepare people for Thanksgiving,” said Fr. Quinlivan. “The event will also include a blessing of potato peelers and likely a telling of the story of how I once ended up in the emergency room as a result of preparing a small part of Thanksgiving dinner for my family.”